"You were infected with decay. I'm sorry. I'm afraid you died..." - The Death Collectors & Spider's Shadow Review

Starring Sylvester McCoy, Katherine Parkinson & Kevin McNally 

Written by Stewart Sheargold 

Directed by Ken Bentley 

"There is only death." 

A virulent disease that killed millions. A missing scientist. An ancient race of salvagers who collect and preserve the dead. The quarantined planet Antikon connects them all. 

When the Doctor arrives on a sky station above Antikon, a single accident has already set in motion a chain of events that will mean the death of every living thing. And the only way he can stop it is to die. Again. 

THE DEATH COLLECTORS: 

While this story certainly has some really good ideas behind it, I feel that it's certainly lacking in some form. It's certainly not like many other Doctor Who stories, but there are certainly aspects of this story that just don't work. For example, I think that there seems to be a lot of hanging around, the music and sound design and music is also off and even some of the performances are not quite right. There are some really strong ideas behind this story, however, it never quite forms together to make the grand stand that it should. 

The idea of a planet that has been destroyed by decay is one that is an incredibly interesting idea. There's some very powerful concepts throughout the story, however it sadly never really forms together. There's just a few things in this story that means the whole never really comes together. It's a shame, especially considering some of the poetic imagery that the story pertains, but one massive problem with this story is that the pace is virtually non-existent. It only really starts to pick up towards the end of the second episode, but by then it's already too late, as interest has crashed off the spectrum. The pace is where all the problems start, and sadly this means that everything else just never really registers. There are some massive gaps in plot logic, which detract massively from the overall story, and death is treated as an indefinable concept. Certainly, I understand them trying to veil it, but I feel that it needed to be better defined within this story as a form. I feel that we never really get a sense of what this decay form is. Too much is left undeveloped, so instead of getting a real grasp of the ideas and concepts within the story, all we get is the bare bones of a story. And there are some nice things in this story, but they become lost within the cacophony. 

The characters, as written, are probably the best thing about this story. On the page, they are an incredibly diverse bunch, especially Danika Meanwhile (which is one of the best sci-fi names ever). The characters are so wonderful, but sadly, the performances are slightly off, paticulally those of Sylvester McCoy and Alastair Cording. The performances just detract from the real experience of the story, and it's a shame that Sylvester McCoy should have been so poor, especially considering that his performance in Spider's Shadow is so much better. The rest of the cast are good, but sadly, the sound design and music are also massively at fault, because it's simply not involving enough. It's too confused, trying to do too many things at once. It's a shame, because those elements are much better in Spider's Shadow.

Sadly, The Death Collectors is a story that sufferes from the flaws of averageness. It's not really forward  thinking, nor is it outstanding. However, it's not truly terrible or poor, but instead, it's just a story that suffers from the law of heavily diminishing returns. However, it's a story that does indeed having a few redeeming features, paticularly it's haunting rendition of Madame Butterfly. 

TARDIS Rating - 5/10 

SPIDER'S SHADOW: 

Compared to The Death Collectors, Spider's Shadow is a much more superior story. These one part stories require a strong hook in which to enter. And in this case, as well as trying up the leftover threads from Death Collectors, it's also dealing with the love of two sisters, who are unable to communicate that with each other. Everything is much stronger in this story, and while it is certainly is a simple premise, it has it's lovely moments.

The plot is very involving, with it's wonderful cast of characters. There's so many different nuances in the script, and it may take a couple of listens to really get all the detail, but it's a rewarding experience when you do. The story untangles like a spider's web, revealing all the layers with each 'Groundhog Day' style experience, which really means you get bang for your buck. There are some wonderful moments, particularly between the two sisters. And there's not just some clever ideas in the script, but some wonderful characters too. The two princesses are the clear standouts, as is Henry, the so-called 'spider' of the title. And Kevin McNally's performance is pitch perfect, making Henry supremely confidant, then having him hoisted by his own petard. No one can do that quite like McNally. And both Sylvester McCoy and David Darlington's music is back up to scratch: the pair giving it there all in a story which gels much better than The Death Collectors. 

In all honesty, I feel that Spider's Shadow is a much better story than Death Collectors. But that can often be a problem with these 3 and 1 part stories: the 1 parter is so filled with ideas and potential that the listener is left feeling cold after the rather more traditional 3 parter. And that is certainly the case with The Death Collectors and Spider's Shadow. 

TARDIS Rating - 7/10